SOS: Serious Overload of Series discussion
Archive: Past Team Challenges
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R7: Team #4 ~ 4get the Competition
Sorry to hear about your dog. I'm glad he's getting better.I'm not going to give up on the Psy/Changeling series. I've already ordered the next book...
Oh, Lauren, that's too bad! Hope he keeps doing better! How old is he?
Sorry to hear that Lauren! It's scary when something is wrong with a pet.
Thanks Judithe and Jenne.He's four years old and has recovered really well from the surgery. He's having his stitches out tomorrow :0)
It is really scary, Jenne. They can't tell you when something is wrong and they have your heart wrapped up in their little paws!
Shelf: Assassins
Book: Marked by Elisabeth Naughton
Finished: June 8th
Rating: 3 Stars
Review:
Like so many series, Marked suffers from first book syndrome. The world building based on the story of Jason and the Argonauts from Greek mythology is original and compelling. However, it has a tendency to overshadow the plot for most of the book, and readers unfamiliar with this particular tale might find themselves a little lost as there is very little exposition on the myth itself and an overabundance of characters to sort out.
The romance is satisfying but predictable as is the resolution of the prophecy storyline. Theron is NOT my idea of a hero despite his ancestral connection to Heracles. He is arrogant, manipulative and prejudiced, and is not above using mind control to coerce Casey into doing his bidding - loss of free will is NOT a turn on in a romance novel.
Casey is an engaging heroine and her reactions to the strange developments in her life are realistic and believable. Nevertheless, she is too accepting of the non-answers and partial explanations offered by the hero and her damsel in distress routine gets a little old - my preference is for kick-ass heroines who rescue themselves rather than waiting for Mr. Wonderful to come along.
The secondary characters have potential, especially Isadora and Demetrius, but the villain comes off as pathetic rather than threatening. Although there is one disturbing scene, which suggests that there might be more here than meets the eye.
All in all, not too bad and the developing war is promising for the series.
I didn't know that series had Greek Mythology in it. I like those kind of books. Adding it to Mt. TBR :)
Jenne wrote: "I didn't know that series had Greek Mythology in it. I like those kind of books. Adding it to Mt. TBR :)"If you like Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunters then this is very similar.
I read the first one in that series and honestly the amount of books in the series kinda turned me off lol.
Yes, it is quite overwhelming. I'm at the halfway mark and its taken me two years to get there, lol! Nevertheless, there are some really great books in that series - one or two even had me breaking out the Kleenex.
That's a long time! Everyone does usually have good things to say about them. I am so ready for the new shelf! I've been reading
the last half of this week and while it's good, it's soooo long and it's not a fast read. As soon as the shelf is called I'm going to set it aside and get a dose of my usual genre, then go back to the Forever Queen.
We're all in shelf-countdown mode...
Judithe you better get to sleep so you can call the shelf :) I know it's probably Saturday night for you right now but going to bed early so you can get up early on a Sunday for the sake of a game is a worthy cause :D
Finished my book for the first shelf. I got lost in the book and sunburnt in the process, but it was worth it. :)
- ★★★★☆ - 08/06/13I bought this for 50p randomly in a shop, not having heard of it before, expecting a fairly good read. What I got was an amazing story with wonderfully interesting characters. The whole thing was unputdownable, with new problems coming up just as soon as Locke found a way to solve the others. His plans were crazy and well thought out and I got excited every time a new problem presented itself because I'd want to see how Locke would solve it. At first it reminded me of Oliver Twist, but afterwards I realised how unique this book is. In the end, 50p amazingly well spent (and for a hardback too). I'll definitely be reading the sequels as they come out.
Nice review, Lilac. I'm going to be on the lookout for this book. Well done, ladies! We have read four of our Assassins shelf books - update in Post #34
Lauren, I've had Marked on my TBR for the longest time. I'm glad to see you liked it. Lilac, I'm putting your book on my list.
NEW SHELF!NEW SHELF!NEW SHELF!
I've also had it for ages, Kimberly. It was an Amazon freebie from way back when. It is thanks to these team challenges that I get around to books that I may not have gotten to otherwise - love it!Can't wait for the new SHELF!!!
I've decided I'm definitely going to read A Clash of Kings for free space. I'm not sure what to read from the new shelf (book-boyfriends) because there are so many good ones on there that I want to read. :)
Jenne wrote: "Judithe you better get to sleep so you can call the shelf :) I know it's probably Saturday night for you right now but going to bed early so you can get up early on a Sunday for the sake of a game ..."*grin* Indeed it is/was!
I would've been back sooner, but I don't think I got an e-mail saying that there had been new posts.Will post my review for my Assassins book tomorrow after work.
Oooh... Book Boyfriends… Sounds like there might be some delicious boys on that shelf just waiting for my eyes to devour them. Haha.
There was a lot of CR on that shelf. I was surprised to see quite a few missing that I would of expected to be on there. I'm going to read the Hunger Games for this shelf. It's shocking that I haven't read it before now.
I really enjoyed
- I listened to it after seeing the film so I will do the same with
in November.Hope you enjoy it, Jenne!
I've narrowed down my Book Boyfriends pick to three:
and
Lauren wrote: "I really enjoyed - I listened to it after seeing the film so I will do the same with in November.Hope you enjoy it, Jenne!"
You read books after seeing the films?
Not usually. I either read the book first and then watch the film or see the film and don't bother with the book at all.
The Hunger Games is an exception because the books are written in the first person (which I don't read) but then I got the audiobook after seeing the film and thought I would give it a try. I loved Caroline McCormick's narration and it also helped that I could picture the scenes in my head because of the movie (which is pretty much identical to the book).
Since listening to it, I have gotten hooked on audiobooks and now I listen to all those first person POV books I couldn't read before - huge bonus!
Oh okay, I see. I can understand why you're not keen on first person, though personally I really like it. :)
First person has always been a problem for me because of of the "I" pronoun. It is as if the main character's voice and my own get stuck together in my head when reading, which makes it impossible for me to identify with him/her. However, with an audiobook, it is like the narrator is telling me a story and there is no confusion between my own voice and that of the character - problem solved :0)
Stamp update: 2 teams have stamps for their Assassin shelf and one has requested. I changed my free space book to
and will be finished today.Happy reading everyone and have a great week!
Shelf: Free Space
Book: Biting Cold by Chloe Neill
Finished: June 10th
Rating: 4 Stars
Review:
The Chicagoland Vampires series is definitely not great literature nor is it particularly well-written but for some reason it is addictive, like chocolate mousse - you know its bad for you but you can't help eating it anyway!
Biting Cold is the latest installment in the ongoing Merit/Ethan angst fest. Ethan is back to being a stubborn jackass who needs to be slapped upside the head. Thankfully, he eventually comes to his senses after (view spoiler) and the resultant make-up sessions are well worth the wait.
The plot moves at a solid pace with some interesting twists and turns, especially the introduction of an unexpected villain whose identity and motivation are quite compelling. The action starts virtually immediately and the resolution is both exciting and satisfying although the middle is a little too drawn out despite one or two nail-biting scenes.
Mallory's character development is the most annoying aspect of the book. In Drink Deep, Neill made a brave choice in this regard, but now seems to have backtracked while implementing a misplaced politically correct agenda, i.e. (view spoiler) Likewise, Seth Tate, the villain for the past two installments, also (view spoiler) It is disappointing that Neill took the easy way out with these characters.
The book ends with some closure but there are questions that remain unanswered. It will be interesting to see what happens next given the possible ramifications of the changes in Cadogen House and the implications for both the GP, the Red Guard and the rest of Chicago's vampires.
Book Boyfriends Shelf:Read:
by Suzanne CollinsFinished: 6/10/13
Rating: ★★★★★
Review:
Wow, what a gripping and action packed story! I'm so late to the Hunger Games Train! This book captivated me from the first chapter and didn't let up until the last page. Katniss was one tough girl! Ms. Collins has written this to where you feel as if you know the characters and the entire time you're reading this you're cheering them on. I love a good dystopian book but this one takes dystopian to a whole new level. It felt very Roman Colosseum meets Mad Max. I love when I read a book that makes me think of it and what might happen when I'm not reading. I think I'll have book hangover from this one for a bit!
Glad you enjoyed it, Jenne. The Roman Colosseum/Mad Max analogy is spot on. It definitely has a gladiator feel to it.
I can't believe I waited this long to read it. It totally sucked me in!
I'm a little over halfway through my free space book. Hope to have it done tomorrow.
Will start my Book Boyfriends book today. Am trying to decide between
and
- maybe I will let random.org choose :0)
free space shelf:Read:
by Keri ArthurFinished:6/12/13
Rating: ★★★★
Review:
4.25
Wow sooo much happens in this one! The last half of the book I was unable to put it down. The first half of the book has Risa investigating some murders for Hunter. Turns out she's after a spider shifter and let me tell you Ms. Arthur nailed that! So creepy and totally unique without being cheesy. The last half of the book we're back to the hunt for the keys. (view spoiler) By far this has been my favorite in the series and I'm so glad it's been picked up for more books!
I finished
for the Assassins shelf on 6/7/13.Rating: ★★★★½
Review: I really really liked. Gin is one kick-ass chick. I'm excited to see what happens next. So much so that I ordered the next two books. Haha.
I'm working on my Free Space book right now. Then, I'll start the Book Boyfriend book, which I still haven't decided on. I've got a few choices, but it's sooo hard!Oh! I'm reading
for the Free Space.
Glad you liked Gin! It's becoming one of my favorites. I like the whole mishmash extended family they have going in that series.
Alyssa wrote: "I finished for the Assassins shelf on 6/7/13.Rating: ★★★★½
Review: I really really liked. Gin is one kick-ass chick. I'm excited to see what happens next. So mu..."
I'm listening to it now, Alyssa and I love Gin too :0)
Just realized we have all our Assassins reviews in. Off to request our stamp!!! Yay!!!Shelf #1: Assassins
✔ Lilac: The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch - June 8th, ★★★★: Review
✔ Jenne: Spider’s Revenge by Jennifer Estep - June 3rd, ★★★★★: Review
✔ Alyssa: Spider's Bite by Jennifer Estep - June 7th, ★★★★1/2: Review
✔ Lauren: Marked by Elisabeth Naughton - June 8th, ★★★: Review
✔ Kimberly: Caressed By Ice by Nalini Singh - June 4th, ★★★: Review
Yay! That's great!I'm afraid I probably won't be able to start my book boyfriends book till Sunday or early next week. I'm really busy at the moment and I'm currently reading my Free Space book which is 873 pages so that'll take me a while :(
No worries, Lilac! We are only at the beginning of the game. There is plenty of time :0)
CONGRATULATIONS, 4get the Competition!You now have an updated BINGO card with a stamp on 'assassins'.
[Your updated BINGO card can be viewed on page 1]
Good Job!! :D
Congrats 4get the Comp!
Finished: 12 June
Rating: 4 Stars
Wow, that ending was something. I would have never guessed Lorenzo was who he was and was so petty. I mean, once it was spelled out for me. I could understand how he became the whiney bitch he became.
As sad as I am to see their story end, this was a great conclusion for Beatrice and Gio. I can go into the spin-off knowing they have no unfinished business out there.
The supporting cast had some backbones to them. I was with Matt when he chewed Beatrice out and I don’t think it would have been out of character for Gio to let him go without a fight.
Since Gio and Beatrice are pretty content with one another, my new book boyfriend will have to be Carwyn.
Shelf: Book Boyfriends
Book: Big Bad Wolf by Christine Warren
Finished: June 14th
Rating: 3 Stars
Review:
While this installment in the Novels of the Others is an improvement on the last, it is still lacking in world building and character development.
It is undeniable that Graham is a deliciously sexy werewolf, however, the whole love at second or even third scent is simply ridiculous. A romance based on the notion of fated mates loses its impact when it takes the hero more than one meeting to realize that the heroine is his destiny. Moreover, Graham is not my idea of a successful alpha as he allows a weaker member of the pack to deceive and manipulate him. In addition, the fact that he fails to (view spoiler) only serves to highlight his powerlessness.
Missy is not much better. Despite the occasional glimpse of a backbone, she is presented as shy, awkward and insecure. She is also far too accepting of Graham's dictatorial pronouncements that a) they are mates and b) she must participate in the matehunt. It is clear by the end of the book that sex has addled her brain and she is incapable of doing anything more than noting her mate's numerous flaws.
All in all, not bad as a quick and lusty read, and I will continue with the series as I know that the later books in the series are much better.
SOS: Serious Overload of Series
Books mentioned in this topic
Marked (other topics)Marked (other topics)
Dune (other topics)
Marked (other topics)
Marked (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Ilona Andrews (other topics)Jennifer Estep (other topics)
Kaitlyn O'Connor (other topics)
Veronica Roth (other topics)
Kevin Hearne (other topics)
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